The new cultivar originated as a limb sport mutation of ‘Tenroy’ gala (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,121). It was discovered by the inventor in February 1993 in a cultivated orchard at Pakowhai, New Zealand. ‘Burkitt Gala’ was asexually propagated at Pakowhai, New Zealand in 1997, and has been shown to remain true to type over successive generations.